The Celestial Church of Christ, Acts of Apostle Parish, located in Ketu, Alapere, Lagos, is in turmoil following a N5 million donation from the church authority for renovations.
The disruption occurred during a Sunday service last week when Muyiwa Oluponna, a self-identified son of the church’s founder, stormed the service, causing chaos as he attempted to install himself as the church’s shepherd.
According to reports, Oluponna grabbed the microphone from the acting shepherd, Adetayo Adetola, and declared that he had the right to preach on the second Sunday of each month.
The altercation was captured in a viral video, showing Oluponna and church members arguing passionately.
The disturbance led to the church authorities taking swift action, with a task force led by Akinbode Adjovi enforcing a 40-day closure of the church to restore order.
Adetola, who was in charge during the service, recounted the incident, explaining that Oluponna demanded the N5 million donation be handed over to the Oluponna family rather than used for church renovations.
“He argued that the money was meant for the family, not the church, and insisted that the church belonged to them. He also claimed that he should be made the shepherd and allowed to preach every second Sunday.”
Adetola added that after the initial interruption, Oluponna returned and tried to take the microphone again from the choristers to continue his sermon, which led to resistance from the congregation.
Emmanuel Iperepolu, the church’s official shepherd, confirmed Oluponna’s history of disruptive behavior, claiming that Oluponna had been threatening him and other church members.
Iperepolu noted that while Oluponna had previously caused tension in the church, the situation escalated after the N5 million donation was announced.
“We had to report the situation to both the church authorities and the police. He had been coming to the church to threaten us, but the situation worsened once he heard about the donation.”
Kayode Ajala, the Head of Media and Publicity for Celestial Church of Christ, confirmed the church’s temporary closure, emphasizing that it was necessary to prevent further unrest.
He stated, “The church cannot tolerate threats to people’s lives. We are investigating the matter and speaking to everyone involved to resolve the issue. The church will reopen once the situation is settled.”
When asked about the role of the N5 million donation in the dispute, Oluponna declined to comment, stating that the matter was between the family and the church.
